The Pirates kept the roster moving on Wednesday, and the names tell you plenty about where the organization is right now.
Pittsburgh recalled outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and pitchers Hunter Barco and Noah Murdock from Triple-A Indianapolis before its series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. To make room, Tyler Callihan, Isaac Mattson and Brandon Eisert were sent down.
On paper, the Garcia-for-Callihan swap is easy enough to follow. The Pirates could use another right-handed bat, and Garcia has put together a solid season in Indianapolis, hitting .279 with a .346 OBP, 10 home runs and an .805 OPS.
His first big-league look didn’t produce much - .200/.243/.229 with two RBI in 35 at-bats - but Pittsburgh clearly sees more offensive upside there than it has gotten from Callihan lately. Callihan hit .211/.283/.389 with three homers and 15 RBI over 95 at-bats with the Pirates.
The bullpen moves are a little less straightforward, though not hard to understand. Mattson has struggled to a 4.93 ERA and 1.56 WHIP across 34.2 innings, and his last seven outings have been even rougher, with a 6.75 ERA.
Eisert, who came over from the White Sox earlier this month, has posted a 6.29 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 34.1 innings this season. At some point, fresh arms make sense.
Barco hasn’t exactly forced the issue since returning to Indianapolis, either. He owns a 4.89 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 46 innings there, and he has a 7.71 ERA in five appearances with Pittsburgh this season. Murdock is the more interesting call-up after turning in a 3.44 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in 36.2 minor-league innings.
The Pirates’ front office has been busy trying to patch things together from the inside, and that’s what makes this stretch feel so telling with the Aug. 3 trade deadline only days away. Shuffle the bullpen.
Bring up another prospect. Swap one bench bat for another.
Keep cycling through Indianapolis and hope somebody sticks.
None of those moves are indefensible. The problem is what they suggest if they’re the whole plan.
Pittsburgh has reached the point where small internal tweaks don’t move the needle enough. Garcia could help.
Barco or Murdock might cover an inning or two. But a team in the playoff race needs outside help, especially in a bullpen that has already cost it games.
Cherington still has time to change that picture. For now, though, the Pirates’ latest roster churn makes it look like he’ll try almost anything before making the kind of meaningful deadline addition this team actually needs.
In Other News...
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The Pirates July 30 swap of KeBryan Hayes to Cincinnati already looked like the kind of move that could only be judged over time, and the early signs have been encouraging in more than one way. Hayes has not found much rhythm at the plate since landing with the Reds, while the prospect piece Pittsburgh got back, Sammy Stafura, has been turning heads in High-A Greensboro and giving the front office something tangible to track beyond the immediate roster shuffle.
Pittsburgh also did not stop with the first return, quickly flipping Taylor Rogers to the Cubs for outfield prospect Ivan Brethowr and adding another layer to a deal that keeps looking more useful by the week. For a club that has spent plenty of time searching for value in trade season, this is the rare kind of move where the Pirates may have improved the present, added future depth, and watched the other side absorb the long-term burden. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Finally Get Injury Hope As Another Setback Changes Everything
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The picture is less clean elsewhere, even with a few other names trending the right way. Evan Sisk is nearing a Triple-A rehab assignment after left elbow inflammation, and Konnor Griffin remains on track for an early-September return from a left ring finger injury, but Spencer Horwitzs rehab was interrupted by a concussion and now hinges on clearing protocol before he can move forward. [Read more 🡒]